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The National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign, with McGruff as its spokesdog, is one of the most successful public service . . .

The National Crime Prevention Council’s public service advertising campaigns have been among the most successful in history. NCPC’s campaigns, often featuring McGruff the Crime Dog, let people know how to identify suspicious behavior and protect themselves from potential crime.

The Campaign has garnered $1.6 billion in donated media support over the years and is one of the most successful campaigns in public service history

Each tax dollar invested in a public service advertising campaign generates between $90 and $100 in donated advertising airtime

More than one in five adults act on McGruff’s messages at a net cost to taxpayers of just 2.9 cents per person, according to an independent evaluation

Over the past 30+ years, McGruff has made thousands of appearances in newspapers and on the radio, television, and Internet. His messages have transformed from personal, family, and home safety and security to more broadly based crime prevention concerns. By the mid-1980s, McGruff was encouraging people to join Neighborhood Watch and clean up streets and parks so they’d be less inviting for criminals. In 1993, McGruff’s nephew Scruff, who has a special knack for talking with the youngest children, was introduced to help teach children crime, drug, and violence prevention behaviors. That same year, a new campaign in Spanish was introduced for children and adults.

Now, three decades after McGruff’s first TV appearance, more than 83 percent of children, teens, and adults recognize him, and approximately 1,500 law enforcement agencies use McGruff costumes to spread the word about prevention. Thanks to NCPC and McGruff, Americans know how to “Take A Bite Out Of Crime®.”

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